Where The Winds Blow
by Darthanne
Summary: A day of R&R gets messy when Kevin stumbles onto a Tomorrow Person who doesn't want to be found
1. Chapter One

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Where The Winds Blow

By Anne Olsen

Author's notes

This is the fourth story in the 'Tears in Heaven' universe. It can be read on it's own but mention is made of events happening in the previous story 'All That Glitters.'

Thanks

First and foremost to Amethyst Maiden, resident evil beta reader and co conspirator for her comments and encouragement, and for making me get this as right as it can be. One day I'll get the hang of all this fun American slang, promise. Special thanks also to Caroline, for her support and help on some of the more fun descriptive bits *winks. 

And thanks also to Wendy and Michele for nagging.

Dedication

Happy birthday, TPFICT. This story is being posted in celebration of the list's 6th birthday.

Disclaimer

The characters of Jade Weston, Megabyte Damon, Kevin Wilson, Lisa Davis, Adam Newman and Ami Jackson belong to Roger Damon Price, Thames/Tetra and ITV Television. So do General William Damon and Colonel Masters (who appear in name only)

Alex and Jamie MacDonald belong to me and should not be used without permission.

The evil beta takes no responsibility for the crazy Kiwi spellings in this fic.

Telepathy is indicated by [ ]

Feedback to anneo@paradise.net.nz

=============================================================

__

All the shadows blue, in the winter moon,

The stars within the darkness,

They remember you, and they sorrow too,

With all the winds that blow.

You were my soul and my silence,

You were my hope, my lightness,

You were the sword at my side.

Through all the winds that blow.

- Duncan Sheik (The Winds that Blow)

February 2000

Chapter One

Jade snuggled back against Megabyte and sighed contentedly. She felt him run his hand through her long blonde hair, and turned as she felt a gentle telepathic touch in her mind.

Blue eyes met her own, as Megabyte stared at her with a grin on his face, a few strands of hair falling forward over one eye. He reached up and brushed those strands off his face, not noticing them returning as though with a mind of their own. "Are you okay with this?" he asked her out loud. He gazed hungrily at her and she could tell he wanted the same thing she did.

"You have to ask, Megabyte?" she asked. "After everything we've been through, you have to ask?" Of course she was okay with it. She'd been waiting for this moment for years, for the moment when he finally wanted her as much as she had always wanted him. She stood there for a moment, just looking at him. The slightly longer hair suited him, she decided, even if it didn't want to always behave. Behave. Like she wanted any part of him to behave?

As if in answer he leant down and cradled her face in his hands, drawing her close, his lips searching out hers. She put one hand up to his face, feeling the slight roughness of his skin under her fingers as she traced the outline of his cheek. As she breathed deeply taking in the smell of his aftershave, Jade felt her heart pump faster. She'd been waiting so long.

She closed her eyes, opening her mouth slightly as she waited in breathless anticipation for the sensation of his lips against hers…

"Comfy there, Jade?" Was that a touch of sarcasm she could hear in Megabyte's voice? Jade frowned, her fantasy world suddenly dissolving into reality. 

As she opened her eyes she noticed Kevin watching her. He turned his gaze away hurriedly, studying the squares on the picnic rug intently, and Jade slammed her mental shields down. Had Kevin picked up on what she had been thinking? Picturing herself and Megabyte acting out one of her favourite romantic novels maybe hadn't been a particularly bright idea after all. 

She felt her cheeks grow warm as she remembered where she'd been so rudely interupted. Okay she knew Kevin wouldn't pry, but when her emotions ran high, her shields didn't tend to be as strong as they should be. Then of course there was that small matter of Kevin's empathic abilities…

"Your arm is sticking into me, kid," complained Megabyte, shifting her weight against him. "It's keeping me awake." Jade turned and glared at him, annoyed with herself as much as with him. Her gaze lingered on him, hunting for any sign that he had an inkling of what she'd been thinking about, no correct that, dreaming about. She took in again those twinkling blue eyes, the way his hair tended to fall forward. She resisted the urge to lean over and push it back so she could see his face more clearly but thought he probably wouldn't appreciate the action or the thought behind it …Stop it, Jade, she thought. You're just going to make yourself feel worse.

"You mean we've come here to this lovely park and all you want to do is lie back and sleep?" she asked, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice as she edged over closer to Kevin and the picnic basket. Suddenly the snuggling of her daydream and the way she had been leaning against him in reality, her head nestled against his chest had seemed poles apart. True they both involved the physical contact with him she enjoyed but somehow that sense of romance had been lost the moment he'd opened his mouth. 

"Well I didn't see you complaining until a couple of minutes ago did I?" Megabyte moved around, shifting his back against the tree trying to find a comfortable spot. Of course she hadn't been complaining, she'd been too busy enjoying her daydream. But she was hardly going to tell him that was she? Jade watched him for another moment, noticing the way the muscles between his shoulder blades rippled and flexed, each wiggle stretching his thin shirt taut. Her eyes travelled over and up a bit. Nice abs she thought appreciatively and those legs... Jade might have gone about them for quite some time had she not caught Megabyte glaring at her again. Flashing him a sweet smile, she mentally sighed and put her eyes elsewhere.

Kevin grinned and took another swig of orange juice. "Can't you two just sit back and enjoy the peace and quiet of this place?" He propped himself back on his left elbow, holding the bright red plastic cup with his free hand, examining the liquid inside as his grin seemed to grow even broader. Jade reached out, trying to get a hint of what he was thinking about, as the air around her seemed to rise a few degrees. He looked directly at her, strengthening his shields as he fixed an innocent look on his face. How much had he overheard? Or more importantly how much had Megabyte overheard? 

"Nope," replied Megabyte, as Jade watched him carefully for any telltale hints that he'd picked up on any of the fun thoughts that had been going through her mind. She mentally crossed her fingers. With the way her shields were at the moment it would be a miracle if he hadn't. Instead to her relief, he grinned back at the smaller British boy with one of those lop sided grins she loved so much. "There's only so much peace and quiet a guy can take. Hey I'm all for taking it easy, but after a while you start to miss…" 

"Having withdrawal symptoms from your computer already?" interrupted Kevin, a smirk on his face. She had to wonder if that smirk was directed at Megabyte's last comment or at her. _Stop trying to read too much into it_, she chastised herself. Kevin wasn't like that, she was just feeling guilty, that was all. And honestly, should she feel guilty for entertaining romantic thoughts about someone who felt the same way about her? Since she had been shot, Megabyte had been acting differently towards her, but it had been mainly when they had been alone, and they weren't alone often enough for her liking. If only he'd show those feelings in public. Sometimes she wondered what the hell was wrong with him. Was he deliberately trying to annoy her, or did it just come naturally?

She knew damn well the feelings she had for him were reciprocated because when he had reached out to her telepathically when she'd lay dying in his arms a few short weeks before, she had heard all the thoughts running through his mind. Megabyte had been so worried about losing her that he had dropped the pretence of not caring. He had feelings for her. Megabyte Damon actually had feelings for her. Jade still had to pinch herself to make herself believe it hadn't been a dream.

After she had recovered, Megabyte had back-pedalled, refusing to admit that what she had picked up on was true. "Of course I was worried about you, squirt. So was everyone else," was about as much as she could get out of him. Still the odd time the other Tomorrow People weren't around, she saw the way he looked at her, the little gestures he made towards her. A couple of times he'd come so close to saying what she was longing to hear, but they'd been interrupted by the arrival of one of the others and he'd backed off again.

"It wasn't my fault Jade didn't want me to bring my laptop was it? Now that's my idea of a good vacation." Megabyte raised one eyebrow in typical Megabyte fashion, and wiggled his back against the tree again. Jade deliberately looked away, before her thoughts wandered the way they had the last time he'd done that. She reached over and poured herself a drink of juice, enjoying the feel of the cold liquid seeping through the plastic cup. As she put her lips to the cup, she looked over at Megabyte again, watching the way the ends of his mouth curved up as he shot a grin her way. 

Jade took a long sip of her drink, trying to focus on how cold it was, on how the droplets of moisture clung to the side of the cup as she wiped them away with her fingers. She'd heard stories about how guys took cold showers, maybe a cold drink might work the same way. It had to, or this was going to be a very long afternoon. 

"Well I like it." Kevin's statement shook Jade out of her reverie. "Besides I thought a day out doing 'normal stuff' might be what we all needed after the last week or so. I needed to get out in the fresh air after a day in that hospital bed and I thought you guys could do with the break as well." 

Kevin's idea had been a good one, she had to admit that. Poor guy, with what he'd overheard he must be feeling like the proverbial gooseberry. She stifled a laugh. Hope springs eternal.

"You mean a break from psycho bad guys?" asked Megabyte, stretching his legs out in front of him and yawning. "Yeah I've had enough of that for a while. At least until the next one comes along."

"I'd prefer not to think about the 'next one,' as you so nicely put it," complained Jade. The last one had been enough to last her a lifetime thank you. It had nearly cost her life to be more precise. She shivered, the thought giving her the effect she'd been trying to desperately achieve for the past few minutes. Nothing like the memory of a near death experience to bring you down to earth again. She decided to try and get the conversation onto a more positive track, as she noticed Kevin had suddenly become silent as he became lost in his own thoughts, a look of regret or sadness fleeting over his features. "Kevin's right. It's lovely here, and what's more it's summer, not like at home."

"Summer? Really? I hadn't noticed." Megabyte leaned back and closed his eyes, shading his face against the sun with his hand. He looked so peaceful sitting there in the half shade of the tree, stretching out those long legs as though he hadn't a care in the world. It wasn't fair. If only he would come out and show her how he felt she could be sitting snuggled up close to him with his arms around her. She rolled her eyes. Guys, sheesh. What was it with them and that sort of stuff anyway?

Kevin grinned. "Don't waste your breath, Jade. Sit back and enjoy yourself. That's what I'm planning on doing."

Jade smiled at him, grateful for the support. Of course Kevin knew what she was feeling. Even if he hadn't read her mind, he was a powerful empath. No way could he miss picking up on the feelings she'd been trying to hide for most of the time they'd been here. Hell, for most of the time he'd known her if truth be known. By the time Kevin had reappeared on the scene she'd been well and truly smitten by the American.

Jade glanced behind her, making sure Megabyte had drifted off to sleep, and tried to get mind back on track. Back to what she'd been trying to get up the nerve to talk about over the last few days. "Kevin, can I talk to you about something?" She pulled at a few blades of grass to hide her nervousness, marvelling not for the first time at how green everything was in this country. The sky was so blue and clear too, she thought idly as she watched the white clouds chase each other across the sky. It was lovely and warm, but not too hot. In the distance she could hear children yelling excitedly to each other as they splashed each other in the river at the far end of the picnic area. Maybe she could talk the boys into a swim before they left. A swim. She gazed over at Megabyte again, realising that that one thought had successfully ruined all her great intentions of keeping her mind on the task at hand. Swimmers, or better yet a speedo. Grrr. She felt a large grin work itself over her face, and hastily took another sip of the drink she'd put down earlier. Count to ten, Jade, count to ten really slowly.

"Yeah sure." Kevin smiled. "I sort of guessed there was something on your mind…besides Megabyte that is." Besides Megabyte. Yes, that comment summed it up didn't it? 

Even though Kevin had his silly side, which mainly seemed to show itself when he got involved in one of Megabyte's 'schemes', he was someone she felt she could talk to. She knew she could always go to Adam or Ami if needs be, but…well Kevin was her own age, and for some reason she tended to use him as a bit of a sounding board. He always seemed to know what to say, to be able to reassure her. Kevin was dependable. The fact that he and Megabyte were close friends too, helped. After all, these days it was mostly Megabyte she talked about. Poor Kevin, sometimes she felt guilty prattling on to him the way she did.

"I've been dreaming," Jade began, then paused. No. Dreaming wasn't quite the right word. As she hunted for how to get across what she wanted to without it sounding too weird, she noticed the little pile of grass in front of her seemed to be growing. If she picked much more of the stuff, she'd be leaving a marker for the world to see where she'd been sitting. 

"Dreaming?" asked Kevin. "Everyone dreams, Jade." He drained the last of his juice and started to examine the shiny green apple in his hand while he waited for her to explain. Sure everyone dreams, she knew that, but this was different, way different. Jade felt a wave of frustration wash over her as she realised this wasn't going to be easy to explain without giving away details she'd rather keep to herself.

"I'm not sure dreaming is the right word to use exactly. When I close my eyes and go to sleep, it's more like I'm dreaming other people's dreams, rather than my own." Jade frowned. No that wasn't quite right, either. Come on think, how could she explain this properly so that Kevin could get the idea she was trying to put across?

"Other people's dreams?" Kevin looked puzzled. "What makes you think that?" He put down his apple, and gazed at her intently. He was wearing that look which meant his curiosity was piqued, and once that happened Jade knew he wouldn't leave it alone until he worked out what was going on. She wouldn't be able to change the subject now, even if she wanted to. 

"Last night I dreamed I was in the middle of a scene from that film Megabyte likes so much."

Kevin shuddered, rolling his eyes. "'Attack of the Killer Cucumbers'?" Funny how mentioning that film seemed to invoke the same response from all the Tomorrow People.

Jade shook her head, resisting the urge to giggle. "I said dream, not nightmare. No, the other one. 'The Matrix'."

"Maybe it was because you sat through it with him six times?" pointed out Kevin. "I warned you about that at the time. Remember?" She seemed to remember him watching it with them at few of those times too, come to think of it. However now probably wasn't the time to mention that. 

Jade nodded. "I know you did, Kevin. Believe me, I know. No the weird thing about it was that Megabyte was there."

"And that's weird in one of your dreams?" Kevin stifled a laugh, then tried to look serious after seeing the look on Jade's face. _Thanks, Kevin._ Just how much had he seen of that daydream earlier? Jade felt her colour rise again, and tried to ignore her growing embarrassment. "Sorry, Jade. Go on." Kevin took a bite out of his apple, the crunch sounding loud in the sudden silence between them as Jade wondered if she was really doing the right thing sharing some of her more embarrassing secrets. 

She swallowed and spoke slowly, trying to collect her thoughts into some semblance of order. "It's not the first time either, Kevin." She felt herself blush, and spoke quickly trying to get the words out before she lost her nerve. "I've been finding that if I think about someone when I go to sleep I dream about them, or rather see what they are dreaming. And before you say that's impossible, the night before last I dreamt about Batman."

She watched Kevin intently to see what his reaction would be to that statement. He sat there for a moment, his apple seemingly forgotten and she could see his mind ticking over. Yes, she thought that particular bit of information might get him thinking. It had certainly been the decider for her that the situation had got out of hand, and into the very weird. "Yes that does sound more like something Megabyte would dream about, not you. Nasty mental image that. I'm not going to ask what it was he was doing in this dream. Knowing Megabyte, that's a scary thought, really scary."

Jade shuddered, remembering what had happened in that particular dream. Scary was an understatement. She still couldn't believe that Megabyte would actually dream about stuff like that. Over active imagination was an understatement, to say nothing of overactive_… _Mind you, she couldn't talk considering where her thoughts had been wandering lately. She noticed Kevin watching her again, and decided to answer before her mind went off on one of _those_ tangents again. "You don't know the half of it, Kevin. Dreaming about 'The Matrix' last night, that was much easier to handle."

"You were dreaming about 'The Matrix' last night?" Megabyte's mind brushed briefly against her own and then withdrew as she turned to see him watching her, an expression of annoyance on his face. She glared at him for a moment, as she tried to ignore the questions racing through her mind. How much had he overheard? What had she been thinking when he'd eavesdropped on her thoughts? The nerve of him, sitting there listening and then reading her mind. Who the hell did he think he was anyway?

"I thought you were asleep." She met his intense gaze, and tried not too successfully to glare back. She could still get lost in those brilliant blue eyes so easily, even if he had invaded her privacy. She sighed. _Weston, you've got it bad, you know that don't you? _She shifted nervously, trying to ignore the guilt growing steadily within. She hadn't done anything wrong, she told herself. It wasn't her fault he had weird dreams.

"Like anyone could sleep through that. Right, Jade." Megabyte frowned as he repeated his last question, suddenly becoming serious. Serious Megabyte. Uh oh. Not a good sign. He'd definitely heard more of the conversation than he should. "You were dreaming about 'The Matrix' last night?"

Jade knew she was blushing, and mentally kicked herself. No way was she going to admit she'd make a mistake. It wasn't as though she'd done it on purpose or anything was it? She let her gaze linger on him for a moment. God he was cute when he was serious. _Jade, keep your mind on the subject at hand._ Getting sidetracked now was so not the way to go. "Well it's not surprising the amount of times I sat through the thing with you is it?" 

"I don't remember you having an interest in Batman movies." As Megabyte glanced between herself and Kevin, it was becoming obvious that he'd been awake a lot longer than he'd let on. Had he been listening in deliberately? Come to think of it, had he been asleep at all, or just making out he'd been? Come on, Jade, you don't think he'd really do that do you? The thoughts chasing each other through her mind suddenly came to a resounding halt.

__

He wouldn't, would he? 

"You were supposed to be asleep!" Jade felt her cheeks grow even warmer. How much of the conversation had he overheard?

"Enough to know something weird is going on," Megabyte retorted. She knew it! Damn him. After all that time she'd spent daydreaming about him, he had to go and ruin it with a couple of well-chosen words. Why did she even bother?

"I never said that out loud," Jade realised. "Didn't anyone ever tell you it was rude to eavesdrop on other people's thoughts?" She could forget the fact he'd listened in once, hell she even did that herself, totally unintentionally of course, but twice? Get real. Like she was going to let him get away with that amount of crap. Who the hell did he think he was, just casually listening in to what she'd been thinking like that?

"Right, Jade. You were practically broadcasting. I'm surprised Adam didn't hear you over in Australia." Yeah right yourself, Megabyte. Like Adam would be rude enough to actually be listening in. He was missing the point, as per usual. Like she would be stupid enough to broadcast a comment like that anyway?

"So how come I felt you in my mind before?"

"You're dreaming, Jade. And it sure sounds like you've had lots of practice at that lately doesn't it?" Jade decided she didn't like that sarcastic tone in Megabyte's voice. What a nerve. Don't play the innocent with me, Marmaduke Damon. Why guys always had to twist things around to put the blame elsewhere was beyond her. No way was she putting up with that today. He could get stuffed.

Kevin coughed. "So how long have you been having these dreams, Jade?" Jade turned and looked at him, feeling guilty that she'd almost forgotten he was there once Megabyte had started in on her. Poor Kevin. His dark eyes reflected how much the redhead's words to her were upsetting him too. It was times like this that she was so pleased that she wasn't empathic. The vibes coming from the American must be magnified one hundred fold for him, compared to what she was picking up on. Damn Megabyte for listening in, she thought again. How dare he?

Jade tried to ignore the vibes she could feel coming from Megabyte as she answered. Hopefully he'd picked up on those last couple of thoughts. Serve him right for being so rude. What was his problem anyway? It wasn't as though she visited his dreams _that_ often. "About a week I suppose, maybe two. Ever since I was shot, come to think about it."

Kevin nodded, looking thoughtful. "I had a feeling you were going to say that. I think it might be a side effect of Max healing you. We don't know much about their powers, remember." She wished she could be as calm and unflappable as Kevin seemed in these situations. He always seemed so in control. Maybe one day she'd have to ask him what his secret was.

Megabyte snorted, his brow furrowing as he rolled his eyes upwards. "So if Jade has this cool new dreamwalking power, my privacy has gone out the window. Great." 

Jade felt her temper flare. "I'm sure I have much better things to do than dream about you every night." What was his big hang up about privacy anyway? It wasn't as though his dreams were _that_ interesting. Well, yes they were, but no way was she going to tell him at this point. Overacting just a tad wasn't he? Sheesh.

"So why don't you go invade someone else's dreams then?"

Jade noticed that Megabyte's face was turning an interesting shade of red. Good. Maybe he was finally getting the idea through his thick skull that she was annoyed with him. Uh oh. From the anger radiating from him, she got the impression he was way angrier than she'd first thought. Why? It wasn't as though she'd done this on purpose. If she had she could understand the reaction. Maybe. But she hadn't and she had to get that fact across to him before she had any hope of him seeing sense.

"I didn't mean to, Megabyte. Honestly I didn't. I mean how was I to know that if I looked at your picture as I was…" Jade's voice tailed off as she realised what she was saying. Not the brightest thing to come out with. Like that little snippet of information was going to help. If anything she had the feeling she'd just made the situation worse.

"As you were what?" asked Megabyte. The redhead had risen to his feet and was glaring at her. His eyes were unusually bright and Jade knew him well enough to know the danger signs. When he got like this there was no reasoning with him at all.

"Come on, Megabyte. Don't you think you're over reacting just a tiny bit?" One look at his face told Jade that last comment had been a big mistake. She hurriedly answered his last question instead of waiting for his reply to hers. "If I look at someone's picture as I go to sleep I dream about them." There the whole story was out. He'd just have to deal with it.

"You mean you _invade_ their dreams. Get it right, Jade, why don't you?" Jade hated that tone in his voice; it really grated at her. How could she have had all those romantic dreams about him? She must have been crazy. He was behaving like a pig. It was times like this when she could sympathise with Millie's stories of what it was actually like to live under the same roof with him.

"I'm only learning about this, okay. Give me a chance. I mean it's not as though I'm doing it on purpose, is it?" Jade knew how weak that excuse sounded and that he wouldn't buy it, even before it was out of her mouth. But how could she explain something she didn't even understand properly herself? Surely he must realise that?

"Aren't you? Sure sounds that way to me." Megabyte kicked Kevin's dropped half-eaten apple and watched it sail towards the concrete gas barbecue. He turned to look at her again, and she saw a momentary look of worry in his eyes, a look that was gone so fast that she wondered if she had imagined it.

"What if I promise not to do it again?" Maybe that would help to reassure him. He's wondering what else I saw while I was in his dreams, she realised. Jade knew that everyone had things they'd rather not share with others, but this was ridiculous. Everyone needed to share his or her problems somewhere, with someone. She wondered idly whom Megabyte confided in when he needed to talk things through.

"What makes you think I have problems?" 

"Stop listening in on my thoughts. It's rude." Jade stared at him in disbelief. He still didn't get it, did he? Here he was going on at her about not respecting his privacy and he didn't even have the decency to practice what he preached. As she hunted for words to help reassure him, she idly wondered why she was even wasting her time trying. He was so convinced he was right that he probably wasn't interested in any excuses she might come up with. Anyway why the hell should she be feeling she needed to excuse what she'd done? He was impossible. "Besides I didn't mean problems as such, just the stuff you don't talk about much." 

"Well I sure have a problem now that I didn't before, you listening in on my dreams. Now that's what I call rude." Jade wondered if she would ever learn that getting into an argument with Megabyte was so not the way to go. All that seemed to happen is they went round in circles while she dug herself deeper into a hole she couldn't climb out of. Still he had started it, not her. She hadn't done anything wrong.

"Kevin, what do you think?" Kevin would be able to calm Megabyte down, Jade was sure. After all he seemed to understand the American Tomorrow Person better than any of them. How he'd put up with Megabyte all these years and stayed so calm was beyond her. 

"Kevin?" Where the hell was he? Jade felt a twinge of guilt for an instant. He'd been trying to help her and Megabyte had driven him away with his ranting and raving. Typical. "Megabyte, did you see where Kevin went?"

"Maybe he got out while he still could?" suggested Megabyte in the tone she was sure he reserved for the times he deliberately wanted to get up her nose. Don't even try and play the innocent here, it is so not going to wash this time. "It's not safe around here if you want any sort of privacy, is it? Not even while you're asleep…"

"That's not fair and you know it!" 

********

TBC


	2. Chapter Two

****

Where The Winds Blow

By Anne Olsen

Disclaimer

The characters of Jade Weston, Megabyte Damon, Kevin Wilson, Lisa Davis, Adam Newman and Ami Jackson belong to Roger Damon Price, Thames/Tetra and ITV Television. So do General William Damon and Colonel Masters (who appear in name only)

Alex and Jamie MacDonald belong to me and should not be used without permission.

The evil beta takes no responsibility for the crazy Kiwi spellings in this fic.

Telepathy is indicated by [ ]

Feedback to anneo@paradise.net.nz

=============================================================

Chapter Two

As Kevin walked along the small walkway through the forest, he tried to block out the vibes he was picking up from his friends. Much as he enjoyed their company he certainly didn't enjoy them going hammer and tongs at each other. He squinted, putting his hand up to block the bright rays of the sun filtering through the canopy of trees. This track was one he'd walked many times over the last couple of years. It was quiet here, apart from the song of an occasional Tui and the way the crackling of the pine needles underneath his feet echoed throughout the surrounding native bush. If only it was this quiet inside his mind. Usually when he came here, it was easy just to block out the world around him, and concentrate on what he wanted to, on what he _needed _to think about.

It was times like these where empathic powers had a real downside. Not only could he still hear the conversation between Megabyte and Jade, he could also pick up on the emotions behind the words. He shuddered. Not pleasant at all. 

The trouble was he could see both their points of view. Even though Jade hadn't deliberately meant to upset Megabyte, Kevin knew why his friend was over reacting. After all he and Megabyte had been friends even before they had both become Tomorrow People. For all his humour and nonchalant attitude, Megabyte tended to ignore his feelings and problems in the hope that they would go away if he didn't acknowledge them. The 'if I pretend they don't exist, they won't' attitude. Kevin smiled to himself. It was probably a good thing that the redhead had no idea that he had any inkling about this, a very good thing.

Then of course there was the whole Jade having feelings for Megabyte complication. One of these days someone was going to have to give his friend a good kick…

Kevin came to the edge of the bush and started walking along the narrow dirt track which ran around the outside of the grass verge. Maybe the farther he got away from the telepathic projections, the easier it might be to block them out. He kicked a couple of pinecones that were lying on the nearby grass and watched them land close to the small river which ran through the Forest Park. Maybe if he tried again he might be able to land one in the water. He smiled again, remembering how he used to enjoy playing soccer when he was younger. Back in the days when his life passed for normal, before those other _complications_ set in. 

He kicked out, feeling the connection between his foot and the dry pinecone beneath. As he watched it sail through the air, a white shape leapt into action, grabbing the cone between its teeth. The large dog landed gracefully on all fours, then looked around, turning it's head towards the Tomorrow Person as Kevin let out a small whistle of appreciation. The animal gave a small whine and trotted over to him, dropping it's booty at his feet as Kevin ran his hand over the dog's coat. 

"Hi boy, I wonder who you belong to." The dog stopped sniffing his trousers, looked 

up at him as if in answer and barked. 

"Ewan," Kevin said out loud, reading the label on the dog's collar. For some reason it reminded him of Jade's dog, Jessie. 

"Ewan! Come here, Ewan." As Kevin looked around, trying to see who was calling out, a boy ran out of the bush, dog lead in hand.

"You've found him. Cool. I thought Jamie was going to kill me. Come here, Ewan." The boy slipped the lead onto the dog and ran his hands over his pet. As he turned to Kevin, relief showing on his face, the Tomorrow Person noticed how tall the newcomer was. Kevin had thought _he _was tall for his eighteen years but this boy had at least two inches on him. He was well built too in comparison to Kevin's own slight figure and as he spoke his accent betrayed his New Zealand origins. 

__

Well of course it would. You're in New Zealand aren't you? What were you expecting? An American? Kevin felt a large grin spread over his face as he listened to the boy in front of him.

"Ewan slipped his collar when I was taking him for a walk," explained the boy, relief showing on his rather flushed face. Intense hazel eyes gazed at Kevin through gold rimmed glasses. "My brother Jamie's out looking for him now. The whole family is actually."

"Glad I could help." Kevin held his hand out to the boy and felt his grin grow even wider. "I'm Kevin by the way. Kevin Wilson."

"Alex," replied the boy, pushing his glasses back up his nose. "Alex MacDonald. Pleased to meet you." Alex frowned, pushing a lock of light brown hair out of his eyes and Kevin realised he was quite a lot younger then he'd first thought. Couldn't be more than about fifteen, if that.

"No I'm not from around here," Kevin explained then stopped. Oops. Alex hadn't asked him that out loud. Stop eavesdropping, he thought, you're getting as bad as Megabyte. "People usually ask about the accent," he finished lamely.

"Lucky guess," Alex grinned back at him." I tend to notice accents that aren't Kiwi… from New Zealand, I mean. You're British aren't you? I know you're not American because I know an American and her accent is quite different from yours."

Kevin nodded, running his hand over the dog's smooth coat. "He's a beautiful dog," he told Alex. " My aunt's a vet so I know a little bit about animals." Ewan stared up at him, panting and Kevin could feel the dog's rough tongue moving over his hand as he tickled him behind the ears. 

Alex nodded. "My sister, Andrea, has a thing for that Ewan McGregor guy. That's who he's named after. We had to sit through Star Wars ten times just so that she could drool over him."

"Ewan the actor or Ewan the dog?" Kevin grinned at his own bad joke. Another sign he'd been hanging out with Megabyte _way _too much.

Another voice rang through the bush. "Alex, have you found Ewan yet?" An auburn haired young man, about the same age as Adam approached from the trees bordering the side of the carpark and headed towards them. 

"Kevin found him," Alex explained, holding Ewan firmly as the dog began to bark excitedly. "Jamie, this is Kevin. Kevin, this is my brother Jamie." 

"Pleased to meet you, Kevin." As Jamie held out his hand, Kevin noticed how different he was from his younger brother. Being similar in age wasn't the only thing the New Zealander had in common with Adam. He was tall and slim like the Australian and as Kevin watched, Jamie ran his hands through his hair. Kevin smiled; he wasn't the only one with that habit. 

Kevin nodded towards Jamie, noticing how he was watching him intently, much the same way his brother had a few minutes earlier, as they shook hands. "Alex has just been telling me about Ewan," he explained.

Jamie gave his brother a playful dig in the ribs. "It's not like you to be so chatty, Alex," he said grinning.

Alex poked his tongue out in response, a smirk on his face as he looked over his brother's shoulder, towards the direction he had come from. 

Kevin followed his gaze to see what or who he was looking at, and felt a shiver run up his spine as he recognised the girl who was approaching. He closed his eyes, and opened them again just to check he wasn't dreaming. As he caught her eye, he could see her reaction to seeing him was much the same. "Lisa," he said, almost in a whisper.

Alex looked from one to the other in surprise. "You two know each other?"

Kevin nodded, unsure of what to say. He stood there staring at her. It was the Lisa he remembered so well and yet at the same time it wasn't. Gone was the teenager she'd been the last time he'd seen her. In her place was a young woman. She'd grown her hair out and it made her seem different, though he couldn't quite put his finger on how exactly. She didn't seem as tall as he remembered either.

__

Maybe it's because you've grown up yourself you idiot. It's been seven years remember? 

Lisa Davis looked as shell-shocked as he felt. "Hello Kevin," she said. "Long time, no see."

Jamie looked at Lisa, then at Kevin and back again at Lisa. "You know this guy, Lisa?" he asked. His tone was that of concern mixed with a degree of puzzlement. 

"A long time ago. A _lifetime_ ago." Ouch, thought Kevin, getting the distinct feeling Lisa wanted that particular lifetime to stay in her memories where it belonged. He was quickly getting the impression that she wasn't exactly over the moon to see him.

Jamie put a supportive arm around her, and Kevin again felt the concern coming from him. "Lisa," the auburn haired young man said gently. "Are you okay?" What was the relationship between him and Lisa? Were they just friends or something more?

"Yeah, just peachy." Even though she still sounded brusque Lisa didn't shift Jamie's arm. She gazed up at him and her eyes softened. "I'm sorry, Jamie. I've just had a shock that's all. I haven't seen Kevin for years. In fact he'd be about the last person I'd expect to see."

[Lisa, it's okay.] Kevin tried to sound reassuring, just as much for himself as for her. [You're not the only one feeling shell-shocked here.]

Silence.

[Lisa?] Surely after all these years she wasn't just going to brush him off? Just seeing her again brought back the hurt he'd felt when she had first left. He'd looked up to her back then. He still remembered dreaming of her all those years ago and how he'd first thought she was a figment of his imagination as they'd reached out to each other telepathically as they'd broken out.

Lisa stared at him, a worried expression sweeping over her dark features. [No telepathy, Kevin. I don't do that anymore.]

Kevin resisted the temptation of telling her that she just had. Still she wasn't exactly going to say that out loud if Jamie and Alex didn't know about the whole Tomorrow Person gig. He very much doubted they did, considering the expression on Lisa's face. A _lifetime_ ago to Lisa obviously meant just that. Did she really think it was that bad being a Tomorrow Person? 

[Lisa?] Megabyte sounded surprised. [Is that you?]

Lisa sighed but ignored him. "What are you doing in New Zealand, Kevin?"

"Just here for a short visit," replied Kevin hoping that the MacDonald's wouldn't ask how short. Most people didn't just visit a country on the other side of the world for a day and leave. Then again most people didn't use teleportation for their mode of transportation either.

[Kev, that is Lisa isn't it?] 

[Yes, Megabyte] Kevin tried to listen to the spoken conversation going on around him as he answered. He knew full well that Megabyte wouldn't leave this alone. Now he knew Lisa was here, he'd have to see for himself. 

"So are you here on your own, Kevin?" Lisa was obviously wondering how many other 'old friends' she was likely to run into. She must have heard Megabyte's telepathic query. Maybe this question was for the benefit of her companions?

[You mean as in _the_ Lisa?] 

[What other Lisa is there, Jade?] Megabyte's 'voice' sounded as though he'd lost some of that anger, Kevin was relieved to hear.

"I'm here with a couple of friends." Kevin answered Lisa's question, and tried to ignore the barrage of telepathic questions running through his mind from both Megabyte and Jade.

"Do you guys want to join us for afternoon tea?" asked Jamie. "After all it's not as though we've had much chance to meet any of Lisa's friends from before she moved over here is it?" Kevin's earlier suspicions were confirmed. The young man had no idea about Lisa's past or her desire to move on from it. Otherwise there was no way he would have suggested the invitation in the first place.

Lisa looked uncomfortable, her gaze shifting between himself and Jamie. "Kevin's probably got other things to do, places to be, that sort of thing. Haven't you, Kevin?" Her eyes widened, almost pleading for him to agree with what she'd just said.

"Ummm…" Kevin could take the hint. Of one thing he was sure, no way did Lisa want her old and new lives to combine. She was freaking at this, freaking majorly as Megabyte would say.

"Kev, there you are." At the sound of Megabyte's voice, Kevin turned and saw his two friends approaching. Lisa was going to love this. Judging by the telepathic comments he had been receiving, Megabyte hadn't been too impressed by Lisa's refusal to acknowledge his presence. Kevin had to admire her will power, ignoring that loud voice resounding in her mind for the last few minutes.

Megabyte stopped, and Jade nearly ran up the back of him. "Lisa!" he exclaimed, a lopsided grin on his face. "What are you doing here? What a pleasant surprise."

Kevin groaned inwardly. [Acting isn't one of your strong points, Megabyte. It really isn't.] Of course losing the sarcastic tone would have helped. 

[Well it's Lisa's fault for ignoring me,] protested the redhead. [Would you prefer I started with 'hi, Lisa, you've been ignoring me telepathically so I've come to see you in person?']

Lisa glared at Megabyte, giving him a look that would have melted the iceberg responsible for sinking the Titanic. "I wouldn't put it past you," she said icily. 

"Nice to see you too, Lisa," Megabyte replied, a look of annoyance crossing his features at that last comment.

Jamie looked between the two obviously wondering if he'd missed something. He frowned, a small crease forming across his brow. Poor guy. He didn't know the half of it.

"I thought that comment was totally uncalled for," piped up Jade, coming to Megabyte's defence. "Serves you right for ignoring…"

[Jade…] 'pathed Kevin warningly. He changed the subject hurriedly before Jade said something they wouldn't be able to explain without giving away their 'secret.' "Lisa, this is Jade. She's…" Not a good idea continuing that sentence. 

"I'm Megabyte's girlfriend," chimed in Jade sweetly, an evil gleam in her eye. This was obviously Jade's idea of payback for those comments the American had made earlier. Part of Kevin had to smile though. He had to admit, Megabyte deserved it. 

"Don't mind Jade," said Megabyte hurriedly. "This is just her idea of a joke." 

[Then why are you blushing?] asked Jade, the saccharine tone still in her 'voice'. She glanced innocently around and smiled at Megabyte broadly. "Oh, Megabyte, don't be silly." She lowered her voice as she continued, and fluttered her eyelashes. "It's just that we haven't been _together_ that long… If you know what I _mean_."

Megabyte shot her a filthy look as his face turned even redder. It was probably lucky for Jade at this point that Tomorrow People couldn't kill. Kevin stifled a grin as he entered the conversation quickly, trying to steer it onto a safer topic before Jade said anything else she would regret later. "Megabyte, Jade, this is Alex and Jamie MacDonald. They're friends of Lisa's."

"Megabyte?" Alex asked, a look of disbelief on his face. "Is that really your name?" Kevin noticed that although the boy had been watching his brother and Lisa closely, he'd kept out of the conversation until now. Even though he'd been concentrating on Ewan while they'd been talking, the concern he'd felt for both of them had been obvious. 

"It's what my friends call me." Megabyte spoke quickly, glaring at Jade who sensibly said nothing. Judging from that smug expression on her face she'd already got the reaction from Megabyte she had been after.

Alex nodded, suddenly very quiet in comparison to the way he'd been when he and Kevin had first met. Poor guy was obviously wondering what was going on, much the same way his brother was.

"So how do you guys know Lisa?" Jamie asked, shooting a quick glance in her direction. Kevin wondered again what exactly their relationship was. They were more than just friends. That much was becoming clearer with each passing minute.

"I met them a long time ago," said Lisa in way of explanation. "Things happened and we lost touch. I haven't seen them in years."

[You mean you left and didn't bother telling us where you were,] pointed out Megabyte. [Isn't that what you really meant?] At least he had the sense to use telepathy and for that Kevin was glad. 

"So this is quite the reunion then." Jamie gestured back towards the carpark, completely oblivious as to the conversation going on around him. "You guys have got to tell us all about it over afternoon tea. Lisa doesn't speak much about her past." He smiled, but Kevin could see an expression of pain cross his face very briefly. He's not happy with Lisa keeping secrets. If only he knew what that secret was. [Poor guy, he hasn't a clue has he?] Oops. He hadn't meant to broadcast that last thought.

[And it's going to stay that way. Promise me that please, guys?] Lisa's telepathic voice sounded desperate, in comparison to the forced smile on her face. She must be desperate if she was resorting to telepathy. [Look, Megabyte, I'm sorry, okay? I was scared after what happened, surely you can see that?]

"Yeah afternoon tea sounds great," Megabyte replied. "I'm never one to turn down free food. Lisa can tell us everything she's been up to." He started to follow Jamie, glancing back at them as he added telepathically, [We were all scared, Lisa, but some of us didn't run away. We've been worried about you. Did you ever stop to think about how we would feel when you disappeared? Adam beat himself up about it for months.]

[Masters threatened my mother, Megabyte. I couldn't run the risk of it happening again.] Lisa sounded defensive, but her reply came out almost sounding rehearsed. Was that what she'd been telling herself all these years? Is that how she'd justified her decision? 

Megabyte snorted as he stopped briefly to pick up a stray piece of fern at his feet, throwing it back into the bush. [My dad offered to help. He would have helped you set up a new life. You didn't have to take off and do it on your own.] It was going to take a lot to convince Megabyte, Kevin knew. He'd been hurt by what had happened and true to form had just ignored it, hoping it would go away. The trouble with burying things was that they had a habit of being dug up again when you least expected them. 

[Can we continue this later?] Lisa gave Jamie a shaky smile as he waited at the end of the bush track for them to catch up.

"You're very quiet there, Lisa. Is everything okay?" Jamie sounded concerned and again a slight frown crossed his features. He knew something was going on but couldn't work out what, and from what Kevin was picking up from him, it was starting to get to him, though he was trying hard to cover up those feelings. The poor guy didn't realise that the way he was broadcasting those thoughts, the only person who wouldn't be picking up on them would be Alex. 

"Yeah, Jamie, I'm fine. It's been a shock seeing Kevin and Megabyte again, that's all." _That's all? _

Jamie leant and kissed her on the cheek very gently as though to reassure her. "Hey it's okay, I understand. It's not everyday your past catches up with you is it? A hot cup of tea and one of Mum's kiwifruit muffins will make you feel better."

Jade looked up from where she'd been bringing up the rear with Alex and Ewan, quite oblivious as to why both Lisa and Megabyte were reacting the way they were. [Maybe we should meet at the spaceship later and then you can talk to the others too.] Jade knew about Lisa, but only that she'd been one of them and had left without telling them why or where'd she gone. By the time Jade had become a Tomorrow Person, they'd all buried the hurt under layers of pretending it didn't matter and tried to move on.

[Okay,] Lisa sounded hesitant as she glanced at Jamie, obviously trying to gauge his reaction to her excuse. He squeezed her hand, in response to the unsure look she gave him, and Kevin could again feel the concern radiating from the New Zealander, though the annoyance he'd felt earlier was beginning to subside. [Just keep the conversation to everyday things for now. I'll explain everything later if you do, I promise.] 

Kevin wanted to believe that, he really did but a part of him knew it wouldn't happen. He knew she would come to the spaceship but he had a feeling that it wasn't going to change what had happened, wasn't going to just magically put things right. Magic was for children, and those who believed that everything always turned out right. He knew from experience that life wasn't like that. At least not _his_ experience of life.

[And if we don't?] As he realised Megabyte's question and the tone in which it was asked weren't going to help Lisa's current state of mind, Kevin felt guilty about his last few thoughts. Maybe they should give Lisa the benefit of the doubt first? At least listen to her explanation. 

He gave Megabyte the telepathic equivalent of a sharp kick. [Try and see this from Lisa's point of view. Just concentrate on those muffins Jamie mentioned for now, and you can save the third degree till later. Okay?]

"Did someone mention muffins?" Megabyte asked Jamie brightly as they crossed the carpark heading towards the other main picnic area, his characteristic grin lighting up his face. "Your mom bakes? I think I like her already."

****

Adam sat back on the beach, feeling the warm sand underneath his bare feet. He looked around for his sweatshirt as he grabbed at a piece of paper flapping around in the mild breeze. "Stay," he told it firmly, holding it with a mild burst of telekinesis, while he leafed through to find the page he wanted in his textbook. Even though Adam was flatting in Sydney, he often came to the island to study in the peace and quiet it offered. He found sitting on the beach watching the waves ebb in and out soothed him and helped his powers of concentration. With Ami shopping with her mum and the others picnicking in New Zealand, he should get quite a bit more study done before it was time to head home. Adam glanced at his watch. Just about time to stop for a cup of tea and take a break, he thought. 

He looked up as he heard a familiar popping sound just in time to see three figures materialise in front of him. So much for the study.

"We've found Lisa," said Jade, before he'd even had a chance to ask them why they were back so early.

Lisa? As in _their_ Lisa? As in _his_ Lisa? Was that even possible? 

"Lisa?" he asked, wondering if he sounded as shocked as he felt. He still remembered that dead feeling deep inside when he'd gone to Lisa's house in Clearwater all those years ago and found her and her mother gone. It had been yet another thing to add to the steadily growing pile of guilt within him that he pretended to ignore. After all it wasn't the first time in his life that someone close to him, or at least in Lisa's case, someone who could have so easily been closer to him if they'd had the time, had been taken away. Chris had been first... He forced his mind back to the present before those memories even had a chance to surface. No, he wasn't going there. Not now. Not ever. He couldn't afford to. Others depended on him too much for him to give into the self doubt which he hid so well from them.

"Would you believe she's been living in New Zealand all this time?" Jade seemed excited, in contrast to Kevin and Megabyte. Kevin was watching him, Adam noticed, looking for a hint of how he was reacting to the news of Lisa's 'discovery.' Megabyte also seemed to have one eye on him. _Was I really that obviously distressed when she disappeared? _He wondered.

"In New Zealand?" It made sense he supposed. After all if she'd tried to go somewhere they'd never dream of looking that would be the place to go. Either that or the Australian outback and somehow he couldn't picture her settling there. He knew it was one place _he_ never wanted to go again. 

"So I take it you met up with her by accident?" he asked. Stupid question, Adam, of course it would be by accident. Someone didn't go to all that trouble to disappear off the telepathic radar just to turn up again out of the blue years later. Lisa wasn't that careless. When she had decided to go, it had been forever. Adam looked down at the sand, and noticed he been piling the grains into little piles while Jade had been talking. He smoothed them out again, brushing the glistening tiny circles off his hands, and reached for his shoes.

Jade nodded. As she started to tell him all about their afternoon tea with the MacDonalds', Adam looked out to sea, trying to regain some degree of calmness within him. He felt his heart start to beat faster as he thought about seeing her again. What would she be like? Had she changed? What if she just disappeared again? What if….? For some reason watching the waves didn't seem to be helping. In fact the calmness of the ocean seemed to be almost mocking the turmoil he felt inside.

"Adam, are you okay?" Kevin asked, the concern obvious in his voice. "At least the rest of us have had some time to get used to the idea. I knew we shouldn't have hit you with the whole thing at once." He shot Megabyte and Jade an accusing look.

Megabyte shrugged, sounding defensive. "I agreed with you. Jade was the one who opened her mouth, not me." He ruffled her hair and she glared at him. "You okay, Adam?" The redhead echoed Kevin's concern.

Am I that obvious? Adam thought. He checked his mental shields to make sure they were still firmly in place. "I'm fine." He paused. "Is Lisa okay? How did she react when she saw you?" Did she look as though she was pleased to see you? Did she show any sign that she wouldn't take off again? What was to stop her just leaving again? What if by the time he got to her, she'd already gone to ground again? He couldn't get this close to seeing her again, only to have the opportunity slip through his fingers because he'd decided to stay at the island and _study._

"You mean apart from the fact she looked as though she'd seen a couple of ghosts?" asked Kevin. "I'm not sure she was very keen on the idea of being reminded about being a Tomorrow Person, Adam. To be honest, she only used telepathy because Megabyte wouldn't shut up."

"Hey!" protested Megabyte. "You used it first." I think you're protesting too much here, Adam thought. What did you say to Lisa exactly? Adam knew how tactful his friend could be at times. 

Adam rose to his feet, grabbing his pile of textbooks and the thermos. Someone had to go and talk to her, tell her everything was okay. To catch her before she disappeared again. He had to tell her how much he'd…they'd missed her. "I think I should go and see her," he said. _I need to go and see her. I need to make sure she's okay. To see if she's hurting as much as I am._

"She's coming here, Adam. In a couple of hours." He could see Kevin watching closely for his reaction.

"Here?" Adam knew he sounded like an idiot but he didn't care. He felt his spirit soar. Maybe he was going to get a second chance after all. A chance to tell her how he felt, a chance he had passed up on and regretted all those years ago.

"No, the spaceship on the island three miles that way," Megabyte gestured with his hand and grinned. "Of course she's coming here. I guess she couldn't stay away eh?" Even in this kind of situation you still have to try and lighten things with a joke don't you, Megabyte? 

Adam tried to ignore the irrational fear growing in his mind. She's managed to stay away for nearly eight years. Maybe she's coming to tell us goodbye forever this time. After all she didn't want to be found last time. Maybe she wants us to pretend this never happened. Maybe she's planning to disappear again. Maybe wasn't good enough, he needed to know for sure.

"Who couldn't stay away?" As Ami bent down to pick up the textbook Adam had dropped off the top of his pile, he realised he hadn't even noticed her arrival, he'd been so wrapped up in his own thoughts and feelings. "What's going on?" she asked, her brown eyes softening as she took in the mixed emotions he knew must be reflected on his face.

"We've found Lisa!" Jade exclaimed. She made it sound so simple. Things like this were never that simple. Adam knew that from experience.

"You guys okay?" Ami looked at again at Adam, and then quickly at the others. It was obvious she was trying to gauge how they were each reacting to the bombshell.

Adam smiled, in spite of the way he was feeling. Trust Ami to instinctively know what their reaction would be to the news. He knew that when she'd broken out, she'd come in on the aftermath of the whole mess of Lisa's disappearance. Ami had sensed that each of them was coping with it in their own way, but hadn't said anything. She'd just been there, and told them how she had plans to stay for the duration however vocal her mother had been at the time about how she wouldn't. Adam remembered that it had helped at the time. It had helped but it hadn't made the hurt go away, nothing could do that. 

He gave her a hug, trying to reassure her. "We're fine, Ami. But it looks as though for the first time in years, all the Tomorrow People are going to be together again." We're fine? That's right, Adam, hide behind the small talk and niceties again. You've got really good at that over the years. Why show how you really feel when it's easier to hide? He wasn't fine, and he doubted Megabyte or Kevin were either. Yes all the Tomorrow People were going to be together again. But for how long?

********

TBC


	3. Chapter Three

****

Where The Winds Blow

By Anne Olsen

Disclaimer

The characters of Jade Weston, Megabyte Damon, Kevin Wilson, Lisa Davis, Adam Newman and Ami Jackson belong to Roger Damon Price, Thames/Tetra and ITV Television. So do General William Damon and Colonel Masters (who appear in name only)

Alex and Jamie MacDonald belong to me and should not be used without permission.

The evil beta takes no responsibility for the crazy Kiwi spellings in this fic.

Telepathy is indicated by [ ]

Feedback to anneo@paradise.net.nz

=============================================================

Chapter Three 

Lisa looked around as she teleported into the spaceship. The phosphorus light reflected off the strange symbols on the walls the same way in real life as they did in her memories. Even though she'd tried to forget the ship, it had still been part of her dreams, impossible to completely forget, much the same way the other Tomorrow People had been. She felt the presence of the ship in her mind, welcoming her home as it had done that first time. 

Her eyes sought _him_ out first, before she even realised what she doing. He was leaning against one of the walls of the ship, his eyes following her the same way hers did him. He'd cut his hair. He'd cut that beautiful long hair. She looked at him again and decided it didn't look as bad as she'd first thought. The shorter length emphasised the lean outline of his face, the face that she'd spent hours trying to forget but at the same time forced herself to remember. He looked older of course, but then so she supposed did she.

So did all of them.

Lisa looked around the ship again, this time looking long and hard at the others. She'd been so busy trying to hide her shock from Jamie that she hadn't really taken in the changes. Kevin was the one who was really so obviously different. When she'd known him he'd been a child. Now he was a young man. He'd grown so tall, so wiry. Part of her mind found it hard to relate the Kevin in front of her with the boy he'd once been. 

Megabyte was taller too, and had filled out. The young teenager was gone forever, though she doubted he actually acted like the man he now was. From what she'd seen earlier that day she doubted it very much. Even though he seemed a lot more subdued than he had when they'd first met all those years ago, part of her wondered how much of that was due to her reappearance. He moved to stand next to the blond British girl, Jade, and Lisa smiled to herself watching the body language between the two. Yes, Megabyte Damon had grown up, that was for sure.

"You must be Lisa." A pretty dark girl pushed past Megabyte and gave her a quick hug. "Hi, I'm Ami. It's so nice to meet you, finally." So there was more than just one new Tomorrow Person since she'd left. Ami looked more similar in age to Megabyte than anyone and Lisa couldn't help but wonder how long the boys had been on their own before she'd stepped in to fill the gap. The gap that Lisa herself had left. 'It's so nice to meet you.' Lisa wished she could really believe that. Ami's multitude of tiny braids flew about her face as she gestured with her hands and Lisa noticed how enthusiastic she seemed. Lisa had felt that enthusiastic about being a Tomorrow Person once. Before Masters had ruined it, before he'd threatened everything she held dear. 

Adam just stood there, unmoving. He looked at her with a sad expression in his eyes, almost as though he suspected what she was planning. Lisa felt her heart go out to him. Those large chocolate eyes had always melted her intentions. In truth that had been the main reason she'd disappeared all those years ago without telling the other Tomorrow People, or more particularly without telling him. She knew that once he gave her that look she'd lose her resolve much the same way she felt it crumbling now.

She forced herself to remember Jamie sitting at home waiting for her to check in later that evening. He didn't know where she was of course, just that she'd had an errand to run. Lisa laughed inwardly, a laugh that reflected the anguish she was feeling inside. Is that all they are to you now? whispered an inner voice. An errand to run? Something else to discard as you cling onto that pretence of normality you've spent years building up around yourself?

Jamie. Remember Jamie. It would be so easy to forget him, to go back to how things had been before. Lisa felt a wave of guilt, tinged with sadness wash over her. Things could never go back to the way they were, of that she was sure. Too much water under the bridge. Besides, the reasons she had left in the first place were still there. They would always be there.

"Lisa. You look…well." Adam spoke at last, very quietly and calmly, but still unmoving. She reached out tentatively with her mind and tried to read him, but his mental shields were slammed down tight. Just like mine are, she realised ironically. You and I are alike in a lot of ways Adam Newman, so much alike. 

"You promised us an explanation as to why you disappeared. Remember?" Typically Megabyte hadn't forgotten what she had promised earlier. He hadn't even let her get used to being at the ship, to being back with the other Tomorrow People. Lisa realised her assessment of him earlier had been right. Megabyte might be older, but his attitude, his directness, was still the same.

"It's complicated, Megabyte. I told you that before. I was scared, I had to protect my mother. Masters threatened her. What if next time he had killed her? I would never have forgiven myself." Lisa spoke the words almost like a mantra. It was the same thing she told herself every night before she went to sleep. She'd had to do what she'd done. There hadn't been a choice.

Megabyte nodded. "I get that part, Lisa. He pulled a gun on Dad too." He came up beside her, looking her straight in the eye, and she looked away, unable to meet his gaze. I remember that, Megabyte, she thought. It's different for me though. It was your father's job. He knew the risks, my mother didn't. She didn't understand. "That still doesn't explain why you just disappeared without telling us. We're all in this together. We're all Tomorrow People."

Lisa corrected him before he went any further with that particular argument. "_You're_ all Tomorrow People, Megabyte. I'm not a Tomorrow Person, not any longer. I decided that a long time ago."

The young girl, Jade, looked shocked as her eyes flitted between them. She stepped forward for a moment, and then seemingly changing her mind, stepped back again sitting herself on one of the bench seats against the wall. "Why would anyone want to stop being a Tomorrow Person? How can you even think such a thing, Lisa? Don't you think about all the stuff we can do, how we can make the world a better place?" How could she be so naïve? Surely she'd been part of the group long enough to understand the risks. Lisa sighed. The poor kid was in for a hard ride. Sooner or later everyone learnt about life the hard way. If it was only about making the world a better place, didn't Jade think she would be still here? 

"There's another side to all that, Jade," Lisa tried to explain. "What about the danger we put the people in that we care about? Is it really fair on them? I've seen that side and it scares me." _It still scares me._

"We've seen that side too, Lisa," Adam still hadn't lost that quiet tone but Lisa could see he wasn't convinced. Adam had always seen the good side of everything. He had a very definite view of right and wrong. He seemed to think it was their job to protect the world from the growing evil within it. She for one didn't want the job of protector of mankind. Not when it put others' lives in danger. Others she cared about. Her mother.

"It can be really hard when your family isn't behind your decision." Kevin spoke quietly, from where he was leaning against one of the consoles, but the tone in his voice made Lisa wonder if he was speaking from experience. She thought she felt a sense of sadness coming from him, but only for such a short instance that she wondered if she'd imagined it.

Why was Kevin of all people trying to support her? She had worried for months afterwards about how her leaving would have affected the younger boy. The two of them had felt a connection when they had broken out very soon after each other. He and Megabyte had saved her from Galt's machine too, she remembered. Strange how all those buried memories were resurfacing. She'd put that part of her life behind her and tried to forget it had ever happened. She hadn't even used her powers until she'd seen them in the Forest Park earlier that day. Well apart from the odd bit of teleporting when she'd been running late. _Okay…Davis, you're not perfect._ For all intents and purposes, and in the ways it actually mattered, she wasn't a Tomorrow Person now. She was a normal human being and that's what was important. It was the belief she'd clung to all these years, what had kept her going. If she was normal no one could use her to hurt the ones she loved, to hurt her mom…

Ami nodded, and Lisa noticed the annoyed look she was giving Megabyte. She was glad she wasn't on the receiving end of it, much as she was glad of the support. "I'm still not convinced how happy Mum is about me being a Tomorrow Person. Sometimes I get the impression she still thinks I'll grow out of it. It's not a subject we tend to discuss very often. If we do we end up arguing. She reminds me about the amount of trouble you guys have dragged me into and I remind her how important some of that 'trouble' is. I remind her of how many people we've helped, how many people we've saved." The discussions that Ami had had with her mother wouldn't have been the same as those Lisa had had with hers, as much as Ami would like to think she could relate to what she'd been through. She wondered how much of that trouble Ami's mum had seen first hand. Her mom had been introduced to the concept of the Tomorrow People and the barrel of a gun at the same time. It hadn't been a good combination.

Megabyte coughed, obviously having heard enough as he shot a glare in Ami's direction. "I can see where Lisa is going with this and I don't buy it. What gets me is not so much the fact that Lisa disappeared. Well yeah that does get me, especially after everything we went through together with Masters." Lisa shuddered. _That everything as you put it is still gives me nightmares, _she thought.

"What gets me," he continued, his eyes seeming to increase in brightness as he shifted his glare from Ami and addressed Lisa directly, "is that you disappeared without telling us. Dad offered to help. At least then we would have known you were okay. Have you any idea how hard that was? It was months before we gave up trying to find you, tried to stop imagining what could be happening." It was months before I could stop wondering if you guys were okay too, Lisa remembered. True, General Damon had offered to help, but if he'd known where she was, others could have found out too. What if someone had threatened the others to find her? Would the man have given up his own son to protect her? Lisa doubted it and she wouldn't have blamed him. She had also known there was no way she could have put him in that position. She couldn't tell Megabyte the real reason she hadn't taken up his father's offer. It wouldn't help the situation now one little bit.

Jade reached out and gave his arm a squeeze, and a look flashed between them before she added in her two cents worth. Yes there was definitely something going on between Megabyte and the younger blonde British girl. "Look, Lisa, this is all in the past. You're back and that's what counts. We know you're okay now. Things can go back to the way they were before you left." 

Lisa shook her head. Naïve much, Jade? One look on Adam and Megabyte's faces told her a different story. Both of them had been hurt badly, as had Kevin. Each was coping with it differently, but she knew the damage she had done. Damage that could never be repaired. At least Kevin seemed to understand where she was coming from, seemed to be able to relate to it but when it came down to it she had to wonder if even he would be able to forgive or forget.

"Forgive or forget?" exclaimed Megabyte, his face turning red. "You just don't get it do you? You've decided that you don't want to be a Tomorrow Person anymore and to hell with the rest of us. You can't just walk away and pretend it didn't happen, Lisa. It doesn't work like that. The idea's a load of crap and you know it." 

"Have you even listened to a word I've said?" asked Lisa, feeling the anger rise. Megabyte wasn't even trying to understand her point of view. In fact she was sure he had just rudely eavesdropped on her thoughts too. But still, she hadn't really gotten to know them properly all those years ago. The only one she had really gotten close to had been Adam. She would have liked to but…

"Maybe if you'd stayed more than five minutes you could have." Megabyte sounded as angry as she felt. "You didn't even give me a chance to get to know you before you up and left. Maybe if you'd given the rest of us a chance instead of thinking you knew everything...""

"That's not fair and you know it!" Lisa was beginning to think she hadn't missed much not getting to know him better. The guy was so tactless! And hadn't General Damon ever taught him anything about manners? The last time she'd looked Tomorrow People didn't eavesdrop on each others thoughts without permission.

Adam positioned himself between them, finally moving away from where he'd been standing all this time. "Guys, " he pointed out. "A screaming match isn't going to help anything. Neither one of you is trying to listen to the other's point of view." Poor Adam. Still trying to be the leader, still trying to make things right. It was too late for that now. Too late for everything to go back to the way they'd been before.

"I thought I was being very reasonable about the whole thing. I wasn't the one who left." Megabyte's voice started to rise in volume and Lisa didn't have to be a Tomorrow Person to feel the anger coming from him. Didn't have to be a Tomorrow Person? Back five minutes and she was starting to think like one of them again. She had to leave now before either of them said something they'd regret later, before she lost her resolve to do what she had to.

"Megabyte…" started Kevin, the hurt in his eyes evident as he looked at his best friend and then back at her. Poor Kevin. He didn't deserve this. They were going around and around in circles, with no one winning. Lisa had been involved in arguments like this before and she knew where they ultimately led. Nowhere. She didn't need this at the moment, she really didn't.

"I can see I made a big mistake trying to come back. Luckily I only came to say goodbye." Lisa avoided the other Tomorrow People's gazes before continuing, focusing her eyes on the view through the window above the bench where Jade was still seated. She knew how Adam in particular would be taking this.' _I didn't mean to hurt you like this again, but I don't have a choice. Can't you can see that?'_

She needed to do this before he had a chance to say anything. Before he had a chance to tell her to stay.

"Goodbye." 

The word sounded so cold and unfeeling. If only they knew how much this was hurting her. She knew how much she was hurting them.

Lisa closed her eyes and readied herself to teleport, pleased that she couldn't see their reaction. She had to leave before any of them got an inkling of how she was really feeling, how much this was killing her to do this to the people she cared about. Before they had a chance to see the tears welling up, before the dam of emotions she'd hidden all those years burst.

Goodbye. 

Goodbye, Adam. 

I'm sorry….

**********

"Megabyte, that was rude." Jade sounded very annoyed, and she had every right to be. Obviously Lisa's disappearance had affected the redhead more than he'd ever let on, and her reappearance had caused all those buried feelings to come straight back up to the surface and out in anger. Still it didn't make it any easier to watch, or decrease the feel of the after effects.

"Adam, are you okay?" Ami asked. The Australian had leant against the central column of the ship and grown silent as Lisa had said her final words and disappeared out of their lives again. Adam was hurting. Kevin didn't need to be empathic to sense that. His friend's shields might be strong but one look on his face had given away exactly what he was trying to hide.

Adam smiled a small slow smile that said he was anything but. "I will be," he said. "The trouble is I can see some of where Lisa is coming from. I don't agree with what she's done but I can understand why she's done it. When someone you love is in danger, you don't always act rationally. You don't always do what you should." A shadow swept across his face momentarily and was gone. 

Adam always had to try and see the good side of people and come to their defence, even when it was killing him inside. He might have been trying to justify Lisa's actions as much to himself as to the rest of them but he didn't really believe what he was saying. Adam wasn't as good an actor as he thought he was. Judging from the emotions coming from the other Tomorrow People, no one was buying it. Adam always tried to fall back on platitudes but unfortunately things were too far gone for those in this situation. Kevin grimaced as he realised how cynical he'd become over the last few years. His initial excitement about being a Tomorrow Person hadn't lasted very long, especially once a few home truths had hit home. Being different wasn't always as much fun as people liked to make out.

"Yeah but you've got to think of the big picture too," pointed out Megabyte, still staring at the spot where Lisa had been standing moments before. The American was calmer now, but still far from losing his initial anger. He blushed. "Okay maybe I did come on kinda strong back there." Kinda strong? Understatement of the century. 

"Kinda strong?" asked Ami, echoing his thoughts. "Come on, Megabyte, you practically drove the poor girl away." She shook her head in disgust and rolled her eyes upwards as if to accentuate what she was saying. "Mr Tactful strikes again."

"Gee thanks, Ami. Lay on the guilt trip, why don't you?" Megabyte glared back at her for a moment and then settled himself down on the bench next to Jade, leaning back against the wall his eyes half closed. Oh great, just what they needed, another round between Ami and Megabyte. Even though Ami was right, this wasn't the time or place for this. Kevin could see Megabyte was hurting but he was far more worried about Lisa and Adam. You would've had to be blind to miss the way the two of them had been looking at each other. 

"Maybe we need to look at this from Lisa's point of view," He told them, trying desperately to get the conversation back on track. Why was he so determined to stick up for Lisa? Maybe it was because he'd been there. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. "I know what it's like to have to choose between being a Tomorrow Person and not being a Tomorrow Person."

"But you are a Tomorrow Person," Jade sounded puzzled as she tried to understand what he was getting at. Jade had been lucky, the way her mum had just accepted the whole TP gig. Kevin felt a slight pang of jealousy sweep over him, not for the first time, but ignored it.

"That's because I decided it was more important to me than other things in my life. Maybe Lisa couldn't make that same choice I did. I gave up my family to be a Tomorrow Person. She couldn't." The words were out of Kevin's mouth before he even thought about what he was saying. He'd never told the others why he'd disappeared from their lives for a period of time. He'd never told them why his family had suddenly decided to take an extended working holiday overseas. Overseas. So that he would be as far away from the others as possible before they made him choose. Of course at that stage his mum had still been convinced it was just a case of taking him away from the friends who were trying to fill his head with rubbish. She had been going to make him choose between reality and fantasy. She just hadn't wanted to believe just how real that so called fantasy had been.

Adam gave him that patented look of concern he used when one of them was in trouble. The 'I don't understand, but how can I help look,' that Kevin knew so well. "You gave up your family? Kevin, what do you mean? I thought you decided to stay with Aunt Ruth after your family shifted away." _You make it sound so easy, Adam. I decided? If only it had been that way, if only things had been that simple._

Kevin corrected him, trying not very successfully to keep the emotion out of his voice. "My parents, or rather my mother decided that if I couldn't give up being a Tomorrow Person then I wasn't part of their family anymore. She seemed to think that that whole thing with me being bitten and nearly dying from that mutant mosquito was a punishment for me having my powers." That was the simplified version of what his mum had said. The actual words she'd used were going to haunt him for the rest of his life. He'd thought she'd taken the news okay at first. Not really okay to be honest, but that she would be able to live with it. She'd given him a while to ponder the 'error of his ways', as she'd put it, lulled him into a false sense of security and then hit him with the ultimatum. Still he wondered if maybe she hadn't really believed up to that point. Up to that point when he'd insisted months later that she had to see what he meant, had to see his powers in action. That he wasn't just telling her a fairy story. Every time he'd tried to explain properly or show her before that, she'd just change the subject and not wanting to upset her any more than she already was, he hadn't pushed it.

"That's crazy," pointed out Megabyte, watching Kevin closely. Crazy? That was one word for it, he supposed. Parents were supposed to support their kids, not turn against them. They weren't supposed to make them choose like that.

"You've met my mum. You know what's she's like. I never told her about my powers until that affair with Culex. After all I had to tell her something when I came out of the coma. Aunt Ruth seemed to think I should." Kevin shook his head as he remembered the look on his mother's face when he'd eventually demonstrated his powers to her. The fear he picked up from her, as she watched him teleport. She was scared of him, scared of her own son. Aunt Ruth had no idea her sister was going to react that way, no idea of all. Looking back the whole denial thing should have been a clue, but Aunt Ruth hadn't seen what was really coming any more than he had. She'd tried to take Kevin's side and argue on his behalf but Mary Wilson hadn't listened. Poor Aunt Ruth, she'd been so convinced that telling his parents had been the right thing to do. 

"You mean she thought it meant you should give them up?" Adam seemed shocked. "She made you chose between being a Tomorrow Person and your family? Did you try to explain that being a Tomorrow Person is part of who you are? You can't just give it up." Try telling that to his mother. Kevin wondered, not for the first time, if Adam's own family knew about his powers, about who and what he really was. He doubted it.

"I tried explaining it, tried till I was blue in the face. I told her I had responsibilities, that I couldn't just switch them off. Even if I didn't use them, they'd still be there." Kevin shook his head sadly. "When she started screaming at me and calling me evil I left. I wasn't going to hang around for the spawn of the devil speech I knew was coming next. I haven't been back since." The hardest thing to take had been his father's reaction the whole time his mum had been ranting on at him. His father, whom he'd thought he had a good relationship with, had just stood there and said nothing. He hadn't even tried to stand up for his own son. When push had come to shove he'd just stood there, in his wife's shadow as usual. He'd been so worried about keeping the peace he'd just let Kevin leave. He hadn't even cared, or if he had he hadn't shown it. His father had made a choice that day too, and it hadn't been the one Kevin had been expecting. 

He glanced around the ship, taking in the shocked faces of the others. Megabyte was sitting upright now, a look of disbelief on his face. He had an arm around Jade to reassure her, as her distress at what she was hearing became obvious, their argument of earlier that day seemingly forgotten. Adam's posture had visibly slumped even further than when Lisa had left, the expression of shock still on his face. Ami was trying to reassure him with one of those soft smiles of hers as he felt her mind brush against his own. She was trying to find out how he was coping, really coping with what he'd just shared. "I'm not saying that Lisa's mother said that to her. Just that when faced with a choice like that, not everyone makes the same one. Besides I'd known you guys longer I guess. I knew I had your support. Lisa had just been through all that stuff with Masters threatening her mother, I hadn't." And now he was sounding like Adam, trying to make excuses for her. _Lisa, why couldn't you have made the same decision I did? _Because she had a mother who cared about her and he didn't. That's what it boiled down to, of that he was sure.

Jade pulled away from the American and threw her arms around him. "Oh Kevin, I'm so sorry. I didn't know." Of course Jade didn't know, she wasn't a mind reader. Kevin grinned in spite of himself. Somehow that saying didn't have quite the same ring to it that it was supposed to. Adam wasn't the only one who hid things under strong mental shields. They all did that, to a certain degree. They seemed to need to, to survive. What would happen if they couldn't? Even though they were telepaths the thought of sharing everything including all his fears completely scared him the same way he was sure it scared all of them.

"It was a while ago now, Jade. I've come to terms with it, honest I have." Who was he trying to kid? He'd never come to terms with it. Still, she didn't have to know that, did she? It might be in the past, but for part of him, it would always feel like yesterday. Kevin gave Jade a small smile of thanks before continuing. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that we need to show Lisa that whatever her decision was or is, we'll be there for her. We mightn't like her decision but she knows where to find us if she ever changes her mind."

Adam finally seemed to come to life, moving away from the column he'd just about been glued to since Lisa's departure, a hesitant look on his face. "Are you sure you're okay, Kevin? I mean do you mind if I…?"

Kevin nodded. He knew what was coming next, as he was sure they all did. "Go after her, Adam. I'll be fine. After all I have friends here. Lisa has no one."

He watched as Adam initiated the teleport, following the psychic trial Lisa had left barely ten minutes before. _Go after her, Adam._ The Tomorrow People were a family, Kevin had had that feeling reinforced since he'd returned to the fold. They'd welcomed him back without question, and just believed the reasons he'd given for his absence. They could do that for Lisa too, he was sure. She had to know whatever she'd done in the past, whatever her decision had been, it wasn't too late to come back. At least if she didn't return, Adam would know he'd tried to convince her, wouldn't spend the rest of his life wondering what if. He needed to do that, if he was going to get through this, whatever way things turned out.

As Megabyte cleared his throat, Kevin could feel the growing feeling of guilt coming from his friend. He was obviously regretting some of what he'd said. They were all guilty of that to some degree. That was one of the things about being human. Funny how _they_ still thought of themselves as human even though there were a lot of people out there who didn't.

"I hope she listens to what Adam has to say," Megabyte put Kevin's own thoughts into words. She'll listen, Megabyte. But whether she actually takes any notice and really hears it, that'll be the thing.

The redhead shrugged as three pairs of accusing eyes met his own. "Hey I can't be perfect all the time…After all I'm still hanging out with you guys aren't I? You okay, Kev?" _I'm trying to be, Megabyte._

Kevin nodded. "Sometimes I just wish that things were different that's all. Life sucks sometimes, you know?" And it didn't get any easier to deal with as time went on. It didn't matter how much he tried to forget, those memories were going to haunt him. Even though he knew he'd made the right decision, it didn't make the hurt go away. Nothing could do that. He just had to pretend to move on, pretend it was in the past where it belonged. He'd become very good at pretending since becoming a Tomorrow Person, a bit too good in fact.

Ami moved over from where she'd been leaning against the far wall and put a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. As Megabyte and Lisa had started talking or rather arguing she'd moved away from them, watching the sea swirling outside the ship. It was almost as though she wasn't sure she should interrupt, wasn't sure what to do exactly. 

Kevin sat there for a moment just enjoying the telepathic presence of the others and of the ship, all giving their unspoken support in their own way.

Megabyte grinned as he broke the silence. "If the world didn't suck we'd all fall off."

Kevin groaned. He knew he could count on his friend to throw a bad joke in there somewhere. "Remind me why I'm still a Tomorrow Person again someone?"

Watching his friends, his family, it wasn't an option. They were all in this together and he wouldn't have it any other way. Yes, it had been hard to walk away from his other family, but he'd make the same decision if he had to do it again too. In his mind there hadn't been a choice. How could he even consider leaving people who actually cared about him?

As he watched Megabyte duck as the girls threw mock punches at him, Kevin's thoughts went back to Adam. If anyone could reach Lisa, it would be him. _Bring her back, Adam,_ he thought. _Help her to make the same decision I have._

*******

TBC


	4. Four

****

Where The Winds Blow

By Anne Olsen

Disclaimer

The characters of Jade Weston, Megabyte Damon, Kevin Wilson, Lisa Davis, Adam Newman and Ami Jackson belong to Roger Damon Price, Thames/Tetra and ITV Television. So do General William Damon and Colonel Masters (who appear in name only)

Alex and Jamie MacDonald belong to me and should not be used without permission.

The evil beta takes no responsibility for the crazy Kiwi spellings in this fic.

Telepathy is indicated by [ ]

Feedback to anneo@paradise.net.nz

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Chapter Four

As Adam materialised he found himself standing on a beach. For a moment he almost thought that he was still on Taphini, but quickly realised the movement of the ocean was the only similarity between the two as he saw the lights from the surrounding hills reflected on the water. He shivered, though he wasn't sure it was entirely from the cold, and wished he'd brought a jacket. It might be summer on this side of the globe but like his native Australia, the evenings were beginning to get chilly as autumn grew nearer.

"I love this place." Adam jumped as Lisa's voice sounded nearby. In the half dark he could see her sitting on a large jagged rock. Even watching her silhouette made him realise that she'd left the girl behind he'd once known and become a beautiful young woman. "Watching the waves reminds me of the island," she continued almost to herself. 

So she'd come here to be reminded of what she'd left behind? That sounded promising. Maybe she might be more open to coming back than he'd first thought. Think positive, Adam, he told himself. Maybe if he came across that way it might help dispel some of her own doubts and fears.

He walked over, feeling the damp sand sticking to his shoes, and sat beside her. At least she seemed calmer than she had when she'd left the ship. That was a relief. Hopefully she would stay here long enough to hear what he had to say. As he tried to work out what exactly he was going to say, he glanced around. It was so open on this beach, so exposed and isolated. A long expanse of sand and rocks, with nothing inbetween. Even the lights from the hills seemed miles away. 

He ran the sole of his shoe down the side of the rock, trying to shake some of the sand off. Somehow he felt better for having something to do while he was putting his thoughts together. It seemed to make it easier for some reason, gave him something else to concentrate on. "You still miss it then?" Great way to start, Adam. Just what she needs to hear.

Lisa turned to face him, solemn eyes meeting his own, looking past whatever he projected into his very soul. He allowed his gaze to linger, the way her longer hair suited her, framing her dark face. He noted absently that even her nose was perfect, the cute way it flattened ever so slightly at the bottom, and wondered how hard she would rail against the notion of any part of her being described as cute. God, he was supposed to be convincing her to come back to them, not getting sidetracked by how beautiful she was. Looking at her again made him realise just how much he'd missed her. Lisa had been the first person he'd really connected with since…

"Yes I still miss it." Lisa's reply interrupted Adam's train of thought. "I miss being a Tomorrow Person too you know. There were times after I left when I felt so alone, so vulnerable. I kept telling myself that I'd done the right thing. After a while I started to believe it." She hadn't been the only one who'd felt alone. Even though he'd had the others, she hadn't been there and that had made the difference.

"Do you still believe it?" Adam couldn't resist asking the obvious. Part of him wanted to know, needed to know.

Lisa nodded, the pale glow of the moonlight reflecting off her red sweatshirt as she hugged it closer to keep out the cold. Red suited her. _Come on, Adam, try and stay focused. She could be wearing an old sack and you'd think it suited her._

"I think that's why what Megabyte said really hurt me. I know I did the right thing, I know in here I did." Lisa pointed to her head to emphasis her words, though her voice lacked that sound of conviction that should have been noticeable if she'd really believed what she was telling him. What Megabyte had said hurt her because a part of her was scared he might be right. Part of her knew she shouldn't have left, Adam could see it reflected in her eyes, just as part of her was begging him to tell her she'd been right. But he couldn't, not when he believed so strongly that she hadn't. 

"But it wasn't easy. He made it sound as thought I just left and never looked back. I did look back. For a long time I wondered if there could have been another way… A way which wouldn't have hurt the people I cared about. But there wasn't. I couldn't take the chance of something happening to Mom. I just couldn't. I'd already lost one parent, I couldn't risk losing another." Walking away was never easy, but it still wasn't always the right thing to do. Surely if she'd told him her plans and her worries, they could have found another solution. Any other solution to keep her away from the path she'd chosen. She looked up at him those eyes searching his, seeming to almost be begging for absolution for what she'd done. An absolution he couldn't give her.

Adam nodded, unsure of the right thing to say and yet trying to show some support in the hope it might help her to talk. An inner voice laughed at him. The same way you talk about your problems? Try practising what you preach. "I know what it's like to lose someone close, Lisa. Believe me I know. Don't worry about Megabyte. He's hurting. He'll calm down and then he'll regret what he said. That's just the way he is." Adam reached out and hesitantly put his arm around her and to his surprise instead of pushing him away, she just sat there unmoving. Moving closer he could feel the warmth of her body next to his, the way the smell of her perfume seemed to permeate through her. She glanced at him, almost as though she knew and moved away ever so slightly. For an instant he felt something akin to guilt from her, but then it was gone.

"When Masters threatened Mom, I felt so helpless," she continued. "What if he had tried it again and the next time we couldn't stop him?"

"Masters is dead, Lisa. I saw him die. You don't have to worry about him anymore." He could see the disbelief reflected in her eyes as she stared at him for a moment, trying to take in what he'd just told her. He nodded, trying to reassure her. Part of him had always been relieved that his own parents didn't know about the Tomorrow People. At least that way they could never be used against him, but still part of him regretted his decision. He often wondered if they had tried to find him, had wondered why he'd just left one day without word. Maybe he should send them a card or something just to let them know he was okay, or maybe it was better in the long run for all of them if he just left things the way they were. He doubted they would react well to the news anyway. Even though he couldn't see them reacting as Kevin's parents had, part of him didn't want to put his doubts as to _how_ they would react when put to the test. Sometimes it was easier just to pretend his past didn't exist, and just concentrate on building his future, a future which he was trying desperately to make Lisa a part of.

Lisa's look of disbelief vanished to be replaced by one of fear. He wasn't sure if it were fear for herself or for him. "But Adam, don't you understand? There's always going to be a Colonel Masters. If it's not him, it's going to be someone like him." He knew that, well at least part of him knew that. It was just that he tried not to think about it. Even though it was naïve, he hoped that one day the Tomorrow People would be able to just co exist on this planet, without having to always look over their shoulder and worry about people's reactions when they found out about their powers. Why did the human race always have to lash out at the things they didn't understand, the things that frightened them? As he searched for a response to give her, to make her understand that she had to move past that, her next words stopped him cold.

"Besides there's other things to think about now." 

"Other things?" What other things? What the hell was she talking about? Those words made him realise the he knew nothing about what she'd been doing over the past few years. Maybe she already had a full life, a life which had no space for him or the others. Don't be silly, Adam. Of course she has room for you. She's still a Tomorrow Person, whether she wants to admit it to herself or not. You've got to try and convince her of that. 

"Other things." Lisa shifted away from him, suddenly sounding stiff and uncomfortable. She ran her hand across a pile of sand sitting on the flat part of the rock, tracing small triangular patterns in it as she spoke. Funny how they both seemed to be take refuge in playing with sand, when they were trying to hide their true feelings from others. Maybe it was easier to trace patterns than face up to the re-occurring patterns in their lives? "I've made a new life for myself. A life where no one knows about the Tomorrow People. I can't go back to the way it was before. It's too complicated."

"I can help you Lisa, we all can." Adam reached out to her again but this time she made a point of showing she didn't want him too close by moving away in a very deliberate action, that feeling of guilt once again coming from her. Whatever it was he was sure it was something they could sort out together. After all how complicated could it be?

"You don't understand. I haven't told Jamie. He doesn't know about the Tomorrow People. I can't expect him just to suddenly accept that side of me when I don't even accept it myself."

"Jamie?" Who the hell was Jamie? Wasn't that one of the names Jade had mentioned earlier? 

"My fiancee." 

Oh God. 

Adam felt a cold hand crawl inside him, grab his heart and twist. "Fiancee?" he repeated, feeling himself go cold as he slammed his mental shields down fast. The raging current of thoughts and emotions he'd felt coming from Lisa suddenly stopped as she did the same. Surely she knew what those two words had done to him. She had to. 

After what seemed like forever, Adam broke the long uncomfortable silence that had grown up like a wall between them. "You're engaged to this guy and you haven't told him you're a Tomorrow Person?" He heard his voice saying the words, but part of him hardly registered that he was even speaking, the state his mind and emotions were in. Lisa engaged? She was going to marry someone else? How? Why? 

"I'm not a Tomorrow Person." Lisa's voice had a harsh quality to it that hadn't been there before. "Haven't you been listening?" He had been listening, that was the trouble. He'd heard what she'd just said only too well. Hadn't she been listening to him? Maybe he needed to resort to other means to make her understand.

[You can't just turn it off, Lisa. Even if you don't use your powers you've still got them.]

"You just had to do that to get your point across didn't you?"

Adam decided to ignore that comment and continue with what had to be said before he lost his nerve. Even though he was hurting he had to put his own feelings to one side and point out the obvious, both for her sake and for her fiancee's. He spoke quickly; the sooner he got this out the better. "Have you thought about Jamie? You can't be considering basing this marriage on a lie. And besides we don't know what might happen if we have children. What if your kids turn out to be Tomorrow People? He needs to know what he's getting into now."

"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it," she replied stiffly. And when would that be if ever? Surely she must have thought all this through or did she think if she ignored the possible consequences they would just go away?

"I think you're already there," He pointed out, realising that someone had to. He loved her too much to see her get hurt over this later down the track. He knew full well that she wouldn't want to hear it, but it still had to be said. "You've got responsibilities. It's not just about you anymore. You've got to consider what he wants to do, how he will feel about it." Adam listened to himself and felt something break inside. Here he was losing her to someone else and he was trying to protect that someone else. Even when faced with losing everything he still had to do the right thing, still had to think of the greater good. What was wrong with him?

"What if he thinks I'm some kind of freak? What if he likes me for who I'm pretending to be, not who I am? Or should that be what I am?" Lisa sounded scared, and a small ripple of hope ran through him as he realised that she'd used the word like, not love. Come to think of it, she hadn't once said _she _actually loved the guy. Surely if they loved each other, if she loved him, she'd trust him enough to know what would happen if she told him. Yes, but she hadn't trusted him enough to tell him the truth about herself had she?

"If he loves you it won't matter." As Adam tried to reassure her, to say the right thing, his choice of words echoed through his mind. If he loves you it won't matter. How could someone not love her? He had tried not to after she had left and failed miserably. The whole mess with Lucy Allen had been an example of him trying to move on after realising she probably wasn't coming back. After that he had just buried his feelings along with that other things in his life that he hadn't dealt with very successfully, and tried to forget. He'd been succeeding quite well or so he had thought. Until today that was, until now.

"I'll do it when the time is right," Lisa promised, not sounding very convinced. Adam mentally rolled his eyes. The time would never be right, he knew that and he knew she did too. How the hell had he let his life get to this? Even with the opportunity to regain what he'd lost and put things back on track, he still couldn't seem to get it right.

She rose to her feet and glanced at her watch, shaking the sand out of her open shoes. "I have to go, Adam. I promised Mom I'd be home half an hour ago. You remember how she is."

__

Promised Mom or promised Jamie? The thought took Adam by surprise. Where had that come from?

Lisa was still talking. "I'll keep in touch, promise." She closed her eyes, concentrated and teleported leaving Adam staring at an empty beach before he'd even registered that she was leaving him. 

Promise? 

Promises are made to be broken, he thought sadly. He'd never see her again, he knew that all too well. He stood there for a moment, lost in thoughts of what might have been, should have been. 

Goodbye Lisa. Have a good life.

The cold wind whipped around him, and he hugged himself to try and keep warm. He felt a drop of moisture on his cheek and looked towards the sky looking for the rain he knew wouldn't be there. Must be seawater carried by that wind, he told himself firmly, ignoring the urge to stand there and just let the emotions out that he'd tried to keep a grip on all these years. He looked towards the heavens again for a few minutes and shrugged. What was the point anyway? It wasn't going to solve anything. Better to bury them again, back down where it belonged. If he let himself give into those feelings now, he'd be no good to anyone. He shook his head. Better to bury them, again, much better. 

He walked along the lonely beach for a few minutes, throwing a few stray shells towards the waves as he gazed out to sea, trying to pull himself together before he headed back to the others. 

The Tomorrow People.

His family.

His future.

Hopefully one day it would be Lisa's again too.

*******

~Fin~


End file.
